Benchmarking

WHAT IS BENCHMARKING?

Benchmarking in the automobile industry involves a structured comparison between similar products, services, or processes on some dimensions of performance.

Process benchmarking of this kind can operate at several levels:

• Between similar processes in the same factory or service branch
• Between different factories or service branches.
• Between different competing organizations
• Between other sectors using the same process

Problem Statement: Mr. D.S. Pughazhyendhii is a married man who lives in Bangalore, which is a highly crowded city. His family comprises five members, including his wife, a five-year-old boy, father, and mother. He visits his native place, Madurai, which is 500kms away from Bangalore, once a month. Also, he will be using his car to commute to his office. His budget falls between 8 to 10 lakhs on road. Please suggest to him options so that he will buy a good car for his family.

Note: Pughazhyendhii is fond of big cars

After going through the problem, we can concur that Mr. Pughazhyendhii requirements are as follows:

1. Budged: 8 to 10 lakhs on road.
2. Car requires a lot of space to support his family of 5
3. Car Should have Good Mileage as he uses it for daily commute
4. The vehicle should have good handling as he drives through a heavily crowded area
5. The car should support his long trips as well
6. Big Cars are preferred

Hence, considering all these factors, Mr. Pughazhyendhii should look for a Compact SUV or a Sedan class vehicle

(Also assuming that Mr. Pughazhyendhii is not looking for a second-hand car)

Mr. Pughazhyendhii should be on the lookout for the following vehicles:

Tata Nexon

Tata has provided the sub-4m SUV with two engine options: The 1.2-liter turbocharged petrol engine generates 118bhp at 5,500rpm and 170Nm of torque at 1,750rpm. On the other hand, the 1.5-liter diesel engine produces 108bhp at 4,000rpm and 260Nm of torque at 1,500rpm. Transmission options include a six-speed manual gearbox and an optional AMT unit.

Tata retails the Nexon from Rs 7.28 lakh to Rs 13.23 lakh (ex-showroom)

Mileage: 16 to 22.4 kmpl

Pros:

• Ground Clearance: A higher chassis can help to increase the off-road capability, passability, and also practicality with a Ground Clearance of 209mm
• Safety: In terms of safety, Tata Nexon is the first local model in Indian, which received a 5-star rating on Global NCAP.
• Easy-to-drive with good handling
• Feature-Packed

Cons:

• Uninspiring bottom-end engine performance
• Ride Quality: Nexon is not sport-oriented

2. Hyundai Venue

Hyundai has provided its sub-4m SUV with three engine options: two petrol and one diesel. The 1.2-liter petrol engine (83PS/114Nm) comes mated to a 5-speed manual, while the 1.5-liter diesel motor (100PS/240Nm) from the Seltos is paired to a 6-speed MT. However, there’s no automatic option.

The SUV also gets a 1.0-liter turbo-petrol engine (120PS/171Nm), mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This unit also gets a 6-speed iMT with a manual shifter (but doesn’t feature the clutch pedal). It is more affordable than the conventional automatic option.

The price of the Hyundai Venue starts at Rs. 6.99 Lakh and goes up to Rs. 11.85 Lakh

Mileage:17.52 to 23.4 kmpl

Pros:

• First-in-class connectivity features.
• Quality interiors coupled with extended features list.
• It is the only DCT automatic in the segment.
• Offers Good Performance

Cons:

• Cabin space isn’t as generous as the competitors.
• 1.2-litre petrol only available in entry-level trims
• Top-spec variants are too expensive.
• Stiff Ride
• Not very Spacious

3. Kia Sonet

It shares its engines with the Hyundai Venue:

• 1-litre turbo-petrol producing 120PS and 172Nm
• 1.2-liter petrol producing 83PS and 115Nm
• 1.5-litre diesel (MT/ Auto) making 100PS/240Nm and 115PS/250Nm, respectively

The transmission options on offer are a 6-speed iMT (clutchless manual) and a 7-speed DCT with the 1-liter turbo-petrol, a 5-speed MT with the 1.2-liter petrol, and a 6-speed MT or AT with the 1.5-liter diesel engine. Sonet’s claimed fuel efficiency figures are as follows:

• 1.2-liter petrol MT: 18.4kmpl
• 1-litre turbo-petrol iMT: 18.2kmpl
• 1-litre turbo-petrol DCT: 18.3kmpl
• 1.5-liter diesel MT: 24.1kmpl
• 1.5-litre diesel AT: 19kmpl

The price of Kia Sonet starts at Rs. 6.89 Lakh and goes up to Rs. 13.55 Lakh.

Pros:

• Presence. Tall height and bonnet give the Sonet a firm stance.
• Feature-packed: ventilated seats, wireless charging, ambient lighting, Bose sound system, and lots more.
• ‘Proper’ automatic options: 7-speed DCT for the turbo-petrol, 6-speed AT for the diesel.
• Comfortable ride quality: equally adept at tackling bad roads and high-speed cruising.

Cons:

• Limited rear-seat width limits usability as a 5-seater.
• Silly cost-cutting measures: backlight only for driver’s power window, missing chilled glovebox, adjustable front armrest.
• Automatic transmissions are limited to mid-spec HTK+ and top-spec GTX+ variants only.

4. Honda City

The City is only available with the 1.5-liter petrol engine (119PS/145Nm) mated to a 5-speed manual now. Honda is no longer offering the older generation model with the CVT automatic option.

Mileage: 17.4 kmpl.

The price of Honda City 4th Generation starts at Rs. 9.29 Lakh and goes up to Rs. 9.99 Lakh. Honda City 4th Generation is offered in 2 variants - the base model of City 4th Generation is SV MT, and the top variant Honda City 2017-2020 V MT which comes at a price tag of Rs. 9.99 Lakh.

Pros:

• The City’s interior space and build quality are good. It is comparable with even some D-segment sedans.
• At 510 liters, the City’s boot is among the most spacious in the segment. It’s also the same as the Ciaz’s.
• The City gets a one-touch electric sunroof, which is unavailable in most cars in this segment.
• The Honda City gets six airbags in the top-spec ZX variant. Not many cars in this segment offer that
• The petrol City is among the most fuel-efficient automatic cars in its segment. At 18kmpl, it is about 2kmpl more efficient than the Verna petrol automatic, with a claimed efficiency of 15.92kmpl.

Cons:

• High price: the City is the most expensive car in its segment. The City’s top-spec ZX variant is almost Rs 1 lakh pricier than Verna’s SX(O) variant, the City’s closest rival in terms of features and performance.
• Infotainment System: the City’s 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system is laggy and lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, something which is offered in every other sedan in this segment
• NVH levels could have been better. Diesel engine’s vibrations and noise can be felt inside the cabin.
• The City is not offered an automatic transmission with its diesel engine. However, other sedans like the Vento, Rapid, and the Verna get it.
• The Honda City gets touch-based AC controls in its top-spec variant, which are not easy to use while driving as you will need to take your eyes off the road to use them

Conclusion:

The Best Car for Mr. Pughazhyendhii should be Tata Nexon, it has a great interior and is very comfortable for the rear passengers, for the long trips he plans on taking every month.
The car is unrivaled in its safety features, and it is one of the safest cars in India.

Even the lowest variant has all the features required in a Modern Vehicle.

The next best Choice is Honda City, as it also withstood the test of time and fiercely gave competition to every vehicle in its price class.